The Cottage
by WitchyLove14
Summary: Set three years after the Battle of Hogwarts. Living in self-imposed exile, Bellatrix has been residing in the Forbidden Forest underneath everyone's noses. Accepting that loneliness will be the only thing she will know, she's thrown when an old enemy becomes something more. Bellamione. There's fluff and smut.
1. Haunted

**Hello, my dears! This is my first Bellamione fanfic and I'll admit it had always been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. My fanfic home has always been SwanQueen, but inspiration strikes when you least expect it.**

**I hope that you all enjoy this story, and if any of you are avid readers of supernatural fiction (and lesbians), and you enjoy my writing, please check out my novels! They can be found on Amazon. Just copy the link and head on over. There are two books thus far, and the third will be dropping soon (hopefully—writer's block is hard). www. amazon gp/ product/ B073YDN85Y /ref= dbs_ a_de f_r wt_hsch_v api_taft_p1_i1**

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**Chapter titles are based on songs! So for this one:**

**Haunted by ADONA**

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* * *

_Cold_.

That was the first thing that Bellatrix felt as she slowly regained consciousness. Her hand twitched—fingers flexing with hesitation and an unsurety the Death Eater wasn't used to.

_Am I alive?_

Memories danced behind her eyelids, but they were fragmented. She groaned with weak frustration. A slow breath slid past her lips as she tried to sort through the memories.

She remembered the battle, Potter dying but then rising again, the battle raging once more—

_Weasley_.

Molly Weasley, firing off a curse that struck her in the chest and sent her flying off the bridge. She fell and fell as she struggled to break free of the curse. She managed to regain her faculties at the last moment, soaring away from the ground in a cloud of billowing blackness, and crashing far off into the trees.

Then it went black.

Bellatrix slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was hazy, but she could just make out the dark treetops above her. She couldn't hear any loud noises and wondered just how far from the castle she landed. She felt the cold, hard ground beneath her and could smell the scent of smoke waft through the air.

"Up, Bella," she muttered to herself as she rolled over onto her stomach. She hissed with pain as she slowly lifted onto her knees, and finally stood on shaky legs. She leaned against a tree and glanced through the tree line.

She could see the castle in the distance—what was left of it. She no longer heard the booms of spells crashing against each other or saw the light from them.

_It must be over_.

She looked behind her at the expanse of darkness. She had landed herself in the Forbidden Forest, just on the outskirts of the castle grounds.

She was in no shape to return to the castle to see what the outcome was. If her side lost, she would be killed on sight or sent for the kiss.

That wouldn't do.

If her side won, well…she glanced up at the sky. There was no mark hovering over the castle—which was something that she knew would be proudly displayed.

She had fought for her Lord for two decades through two wars. She had nothing to show for it now.

She turned and limped further into the forest. She knew that if she could make it to one of their safe houses she could remain hidden. No one ever ventured that far into the Forbidden Forest, aside from its inhabitants.

As unsafe as it was, it was still the safest place she could be without fear of being discovered.

She didn't know how long she had walked for, but the forest began to grow even darker—night was falling.

She didn't risk pulling her wand out to cast _lumos_. She needed to stay in darkness. It was her best bet at protection from the forces that resided within.

Eventually she stopped and closed her eyes, listening—then she heard it. A stream just off to her right, flowing quietly. Bellatrix turned and made her way to the brook, walking through it before coming to a halt.

She raised her wand and muttered the incantation, waving her wand as green light swirled around a moment before the air in front of her shimmered.

A small cottage appeared and she felt exhaustion seep into her bones. She was weak and injured, despite her best efforts to heal as much of her wounds as she could with magic. She moved to the door, opening it and stepping inside the modest space. The room in front of her was open. A kitchen was off to the left with the living area to the right. A fireplace rested against the wall in the living area and Bellatrix shot off a spell, bringing the fire to life. She headed to the back of the cottage through the open doorway and eyed the queen-sized bed with an exhausted sigh.

She quickly clamored on top of the bed, passing out without another thought.

* * *

Hermione sat on a crumbled pillar, exhaustion finally overtaking her body.

The war was finally over.

Everyone had begun to clean up the wreckage of the castle. They would celebrate later. For now, they needed to treat their wounded, bury their dead, and clean up the mess that the war had caused.

She looked to her left where the Weasley's were huddled around their dead son.

_Poor Fred, _Hermione thought.

They had lost many friends because of the war, and now it was just…over.

Hermione mulled it over in her mind. Ever since she had come to Hogwarts at eleven years old, she had been sucked into a world petrified of the return of Voldemort. She had stood by her friends and risked her life again and again for years…and now it was over.

A pang of loss struck her chest. She wasn't sure what she would even do once the dust settled. She figured she would work for the ministry, but after everything they had done she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted anymore.

"Mione!" Harry called.

Her head rose to regard him, and she immediately noted the look of concern on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"We've been recovering the bodies from Voldemort's forces," Harry began. His shoulders were tense and he looked off to the side anxiously before meeting Hermione's eyes again. "We can't find Lestrange's body."

Hermione nodded. She expected to feel a chill, or worry, or…something. Instead, she felt nothing.

"She was last seen dueling Molly, right?" Hermione asked, standing from her seat on tired legs.

Harry nodded as they made their way over to the Weasley's.

"Molly," Hermione commented softly.

When the woman turned and looked at her, her eyes were bloodshot red from crying. She sniffled and wiped at her tears, attempting to compose herself.

"Yes, dear?" Molly replied.

"We can't find Bellatrix's body. Do you know what happened to her, while you were dueling?" Hermione asked. She tried her best to keep her tone soft.

"I hit her with a curse, square in the chest. She went flying over the side of the bridge." Molly's eyes glanced toward one of the crumbling walls. "That curse would've immobilized her. She should've hit the bottom down there somewhere."

Hermione nodded and gave Molly's arm a light squeeze, showing her thanks.

She nodded for Harry to follow with a small team of their friends, and went to scour the bottom.

They must have checked every nook and cranny underneath the bridge within an hour, and there was nothing to be found.

"She must have broken free of it," Neville piped up. "Her body would be here if she hadn't."

Hermione nodded her agreement and continued to glance around the bridge.

"There," Luna spoke up, pointing toward a thicket of brush that looked barreled over.

The group made their way to it, following the path of the broken grass and shrubs.

They stopped short of the Forbidden Forest.

"Blimey, you really think she survived and went in there?" Ron asked finally.

"W—we aren't going to follow her, are we?" Neville asked. The slight hitch in his voice didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"She's dangerous," Harry replied.

"She's also without anyone to help her," Ginny added.

"I think we should leave her," Hermione stated.

The group all looked to her in astonishment, except for Luna.

"I agree with Hermione," Luna piped up. "Bellatrix has nothing left. She's also most likely injured and in there alone. There are plenty of creatures who stayed out of the war but are still dangerous; I say we let her fend for herself."

"Bollocks! Hermione, you can't actually believe she's going to just die in there?" Ron demanded. "She's a _Death Eater_, she was Voldemort's Lieutenant!"

Hermione turned to look at Neville. "Neville, she tortured your parents…I think this one should be your call."

Neville swallowed thickly and looked at the expecting group. Luna slipped her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze, to which he was grateful.

"I'm with Hermione and Luna," Neville breathed out finally, drawing immediate outrage from the three opposed.

"Neville, you can't be serious?" Harry responded.

Ron blanched. "Are you daft? That deranged Lestrange _tortured_ your parents to insanity!"

Neville's eyes hardened. "I'm more than bloody aware of what she did!"

Longbottom's sudden outburst gave way to absolute silence. A tear rolled down his cheek and his bottom lip shook, but he managed to speak as evenly as possible. "She's injured, she is the _only_ Death Eater not accounted for. We have all of her accomplices and there's no way she would be able to even touch them now. Voldemort is gone. Killing her will do nothing but bring more killing. Let her rot out in the forest."

The group eyed him warily, but the three opposed nodded their support.

"Let's get back to the others," Neville muttered before turning on his heel and heading back the way to the castle.

Everyone followed him, except for Hermione. She stared into the forest for a few moments before turning and running to catch up with her friends.

* * *

_**3 years later…**_

Hermione slumped back in her chair. She had just finished grading another round of essays for her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. It turned out that Hermione felt called to the school, to return and be a professor at Hogwarts instead of work for the ministry. She was still put off by that place, even three years later.

Now, she spent her time instructing her students in all manners of defense and offense against Dark Arts. They had of course outlawed the unforgivable curses, but Hermione had argued diligently that the level of material taught to students needed to reflect what they would experience if ever confronting dark wizards.

Hogwarts couldn't keep their students in a bubble like they did before; leaving it up to upperclassmen to teach the others, like they had with Dumbeldore's Army.

Hermione excelled at it. Just as she did in every subject in school. Not to mention, she truly enjoyed her work as a professor.

She stood from her desk and stretched, glancing at the clock over her shoulder. It was 11:30pm and she needed to be heading out soon. She needed to gather some ingredients for a potion she was working on. She had been doing some research on ways to cure insanity caused by the Cruciatus curse, as a way to help Neville regain his parents—as well as help some of the other victims of various Death Eater work.

Even though it had been three years since the end of the war, they were still picking up the pieces here and there.

She grabbed her cloak and left her classroom, quickly making her way through the castle before venturing outside of its walls.

She needed to enter the Forbidden Forest for this particular ingredient. A rare moonflower that only bloomed once a year for a single night. Hermione had done her research and knew that some years ago there was a patch of these flowers found in the forest. They only grew near water and were extremely hard to maintain, which was why they were such a rarity to find growing in the wild. But, the magical properties, were enough to risk the danger of the forest for.

Hermione had avoided the woods since the Battle of Hogwarts. She never had reason to venture past the tree line, until now. She stood outside of it for a few moments, just staring ahead into the darkness. She suddenly felt like she was eleven years old getting ready for her first ever detention with Hagrid and her friends. Despite her nervousness at the prospect of venturing into the forest at night alone, she smiled at the warmth the memory provided her.

With a sigh, she steeled herself and stepped into the forest. It felt as if the temperature dropped at least four degrees as soon as the darkness enveloped her. Hermione pulled her cloak tighter around herself and made her way forward.

She recalled the directions from the book and knew she needed to walk at least 2 kilometers in, and then roughly half a kilometer to the right. Hopefully, the glow from the flowers would be enough to aid her in locating them.

She heard all sorts of creatures rustle in the trees as she moved. She did her best to avoid tripping over overgrown tree roots and the occasional Devil's Snare. For a moment, she thought she heard the sound of hooves and quickly darted behind a tree, waiting until the sound dissipated. Hermione released a breath and carried on until she came to a halt.

Her head tilted to the side as she heard the sound of rushing water. Her feet quickly turned and she strode forward toward the noise.

Relief flooded through her when she saw the flow of ink running through the woods. Her eyes scanned all around, and she wandered down the stream until she saw a faint glow. A smile bloomed on her face as she headed to the patch of flowers. She made quick work of them, picking a handful and securing them in her ingredient pouch.

She was just getting ready to head back when she heard the sound of hooves once more.

Hermione's blood ran cold and she looked around for somewhere to hide, but the area she was in was fairly open.

The noise came to a stop, and Hermione gripped her wand tightly as the figure came into view.

"Just what are you doing out here all alone?" the centaur demanded. His voice was gruff and deep. He sniffed the air. "A mudblood witch no less."

The words were said with such disgust that Hermione flinched at the words.

"Be on your way, centaur, and I will be on mine. I wish you no harm," Hermione said carefully in an attempt to keep her voice from shaking. She slowly stood, wand firmly in her grasp—but not raised to pose a threat.

The centaur pawed the ground with his hooves in irritation, and his tail gave a quick flick. "There have been very little humans in this forest since the Dark Lord perished. I intend to keep it that way."

Hermione rose her wand to fire off a spell, but before she had the chance—a bolt struck the centaur and sent him to the ground with a thud.

Her heart was beating in her ears. She looked around in panic, not having any idea where the spell had even come from.

"I do believe the centaur is right in demanding why you are here alone."

Hermione immediately recognized the voice and fear gripped her heart like ice.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." A shiver ran down her spine and she had to force herself to remain as calm as possible.

Bellatrix came into view then, her silhouette illuminated by the moonlight just peeking through the trees. Her hair was as black as Hermione remembered, with a silver streak of hair running just off to the side of her head. Her curls were glossy and cascaded over her cloaked shoulders, coming to rest just above her breasts. Her features were still sharp, with thick black eyelashes and heavy lidded eyes that Hermione always thought befitting of a seductress. As if Bellatrix knew what she was thinking, she flashed a quick smile that showed off her perfect white teeth.

The difference between then and now was startling.

"It's 'Black' again, pet," Bellatrix corrected as she walked to the fallen centaur. "Obliviate," she whispered the word as the spell shot from her wand.

"You—you're alive!" Hermione squeaked.

Bellatrix looked at her with disinterest. "Very astute, no wonder you're the brightest witch of your age." She rolled her eyes and took a step forward.

Hermione swallowed thickly and raised her wand in defense.

Bellatrix caught the movement and an animalistic noise resounded in her throat. "PUT IT DOWN!" she roared. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she eyed the younger witch. "I do one nice thing and get a bloody wand pulled on me. Fine, stay out here to be taken by the fucking centaurs!"

The dark witch spun on her heel and stomped off.

Hermione's mouth hung agape. It had been three years…three years that Bellatrix had disappeared…and here she was, hiding out in the Forbidden Forest under their noses.

To make matters worse, the woman had just saved Hermione from a centaur and couldn't seem to care less that Hermione had seen her.

"Wait!" Hermione called out, running after the woman who was still huffing and stomping through the woods.

Bellatrix stopped her movements and turned to eye Hermione questioningly.

"You've been hiding out here all this time?" Hermione asked. She wasn't sure why that was the first thing she thought to ask, but here she was.

Bellatrix scoffed. "Not like I had much choice. It suits me well enough. Dark, cold…mad." She let out a crazed cackle. "See yourself out, Granger."

Then she was gone.

Hermione was flabbergasted—stunned really. The woman had saved her and then…left. She hadn't bothered to toy with her or—

A sudden thought struck Hermione.

_She didn't call me a mudblood_.

* * *

Bella had heard the commotion outside of her cottage. It had taken her at least a year to feel comfortable in the home—even though she knew it was shielded from view with magic. The sounds would often catch her by surprise, and the events with the centaur were no different. She had reasoned to just shrug it off but then she heard another voice speaking—one that was very familiar.

_The Granger girl_, Bellatrix had thought as she shot straight up from her seat.

She flew from the cottage, taking strides toward the ruckus and waving her wand to hide her cottage from view.

"Be on your way, centaur, and I will be on mine. I wish you no harm." Bellatrix heard her say.

_Bloody hell, she's going to get herself killed by a fucking brute._

Bellatrix crept up on the scene, waiting to see what would happen

"There have been very little humans in this forest since the Dark Lord perished. I intend to keep it that way."

She immediately recognized the centaur. Unfortunately, for Granger, this particular centaur had led many of the other members of his kind against Potter's forces. Orion was a notoriously sadistic fuck; one of the reasons Voldemort had implored him to join the cause. That, and the fact that centaurs were naturally immune to most magic.

She didn't doubt the…woman's, ability. She had given her a once over and noted that even in the dark, the young witch had grown even more defiant since the war.

Still, she acted on instinct and shot a curse at the creature, watching with rapt attention as he hit the ground hard.

She realized she was taking a massive risk by even allowing the other witch to see her, but three years of isolation had made her…lonely…for even just a passing conversation.

She forgot that the young witch had a tendency to get on her nerves.

The woman hadn't changed much, aside from the visible mature growth she experienced in the way she carried herself. She noted her hair was more relaxed now, and her eyes carried wisdom beyond her years—which Bellatrix found interesting that it was something she had even noticed.

She corrected the woman on her name and obliviated the centaur, still musing over this unexpected interaction. Having someone see her when she was in a self-imposed exile was less than ideal. She thought about obliviating her memory as well until the witch made an obvious statement.

Then the wand raised.

She felt her mind snap. It was always quick, like the sting of a rubber band.

_Ah, there it is_, Bellatrix mused as the brief wave of anger encircled her. She had gotten so good at controlling the outbursts she had crafted, but for some reason this one had gotten under her skin.

Perhaps it was the solitude.

"PUT IT DOWN!" she roared. "I do one nice thing and get a bloody wand pulled on me. Fine, stay out here to be taken by the fucking centaurs!"

_The nerve!_

She spun and took off back in the direction of her cottage. She could hear the witch running after her, and only when she was told to 'wait' did she stop to regard the woman again. She assumed it was the loneliness she adamantly denied that provoked her response, but she waited for the question nonetheless.

"You've been hiding out here all this time?" Hermione asked.

Bellatrix didn't detect any hint of malice or anger…just curiosity. She found it strange but shrugged it off.

Her composure returned immediately as the mask slipped over her face with the comfort of familiarity.

Bellatrix scoffed. "Not like I had much choice. It suits me well enough. Dark, cold…mad." She let out a crazed cackle. "See yourself out, Granger."

She willed the spell to shield her as she entered her cottage, and disappeared behind its protection.

The former Death Eater watched from her doorway as the young woman looked around in surprise. She inspected the woman as a look of pensiveness fell over her face, and then the smallest uptick of her lip in a smile.

_Curious_.

The woman checked her ingredient pouch and cast one last glance in her direction. They made eye contact—or as close as eye contact could be when one was hidden in plain sight—and then the witch turned and disappeared into the thicket of the forest.

She would have to remain on the low—not that it would be a problem; it wouldn't be the first time. For the first few months after the war, she refused to leave the cottage. Even stepping outside of the doorway filled her with anxiety at being discovered. Truth be told, she was terrified of being sent to Azkaban again…or at least wherever there were dementors. She knew she would get the kiss if she was discovered, and Bellatrix, ever the self-preservationist, refused to go out on anything but her own terms.

Therefore, she stayed hidden.

She magicked books of all variety to the cottage to occupy her time. Prior to her descent into servitude to the Dark Lord, she was quite the bookworm. She loved to read, and when she was attending Hogwarts she was often found in the library…usually sneaking into the restricted section and brushing up on the more challenging spells that they didn't teach students.

She had always been curious and intelligent. The two complimented each other well enough. Her curiosity led to more knowledge and more knowledge led to more curiosity, and on and on the cycle continued.

Had her family not been comprised of generations of proud Slytherins, save for her cousin Sirius, she would have chosen Ravenclaw instead.

The sorting hat had a bit of trouble deciding where to put her—Ravenclaw or Slytherin…

She chose the latter, not wanting to bring disappointment to her parents. She only ever wanted to make them proud.

She chose Slytherin to make them proud, married Rodolphus to make them proud (not that she had much choice in the matter since it was arranged), joined Voldemort to make them proud…

That wasn't to say she didn't love being a Slytherin, or didn't join the cause for what she believed in…well—what her parents believed in…

Bellatrix massaged her temples.

It had been three years. Three years of sifting back through her childhood memories and analyzing every interaction with her parents, her sisters, her suitors that could never be, and her life as a Death Eater.

Somewhere along the way she had lost herself and she still had no idea when that had occurred. She thought it was when she had joined the Death Eaters…but she suspected that it was somewhere before that even.

She loved her sisters, and she loved Andromeda—even after she had run off with that muggle-born.

But her prejudice against him…the way she spoke to Andy when she had found out…that wasn't her parents hate speech, that was her own.

Yes, the shift was before that.

Bellatrix released a groan in pain. A headache throbbed behind her eyelids at the thought.

She gritted her teeth at the prospect of having to remain in her cottage again for a while, until she was sure that one third of the Golden Trio didn't locate her again.

Isolation was fine. She was used to it. She was Bellatrix Black! She could do anything.

_But don't you want more?_

Her own thoughts betrayed her.

She did want more. She wanted to be seen as Bellatrix Black, before her crimes, but she knew that could never be. She had done too much, killed too many, caused too much suffering…no, she would always be seen as Bellatrix Lestrange, right hand to the Dark Lord—

At least that would be the image she would maintain.

The next few days turned into a week, and Bellatrix was hopeful that others hadn't sought out her place of exile.

She had grown curious and reached out to a few of the other inhabitants in the forest, those that were aware but wanted to live with no agenda, asking if there had been any strangers entering the forest.

Nothing had been out of the ordinary. She hoped that the witch had simply decided to leave her be, feeling that she wasn't worth her time.

Apparently, three years of isolation had made her too optimistic, because nine days later the witch was back in her part of the forest.

* * *

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	2. Arsonist's Lullabye

**Well here we are with Chapter 2! It's a shorter chapter, but the ones after this will be a bit longer. I hope you all enjoy.**

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**Song: Arsonist's Lullabye - Hozier**

* * *

Hermione walked the same route she had the night she sought out the moonflowers. She couldn't believe that Bellatrix Lest—Black, was hiding out in the Forbidden Forest. What was even more shocking was the fact that she had managed to remain for three years undisturbed, and who knows for how long if Hermione hadn't stumbled upon her.

…or had Bellatrix not stumbled upon _her_.

She wasn't sure where the witch came from, or where she had gone after the centaur incident, but she was grateful for her intervention.

Moreover, Hermione was curious. She admitted that her idea to seek out a woman who clearly hadn't wanted to be found was a bit mad, but she was still tired from the war and the grudges.

The carved _Mudblood_ on her skin rubbed uncomfortably against her sleeve. She forgot about it most days, but others, especially when it would bleed, was an unpleasant reminder of her time.

Even more reason for seeking Black out to be complete madness. She couldn't deny she needed the closure, or just…something. She didn't know what she was hoping for, but she knew she owed it to herself to find out.

Maybe she could even just yell at the dark witch for a bit…if the witch would even let her get a word out that is.

Hermione arrived at the familiar spot. She scanned the ground and saw no signs of any disturbance. Her brow furrowed as she continued walking around the area.

"She came from there," Hermione muttered to herself as she walked forward.

She stopped and squinted ahead.

"And disappeared…" her voice was soft as her eyes scanned the woods. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which was what gave her pause.

There had been no crack as a sign of apparating, so Bellatrix had to have vanished into something.

_There must be a glamor and I assume a protection spell that only she would know_.

"Bellatrix," Hermione called out.

There was no answer but after a few moments, Hermione felt as though a set of eyes were on her.

"I just want to talk," Hermione told the air.

The forest was far less threatening in the daylight, but the trees rose so high that they blocked what little sunlight was able to shine through.

"Look, I know you're here. I don't mean you any harm, I just want to speak with you," Hermione tried again.

There was no response, but she still felt watched.

"I want to know why you've been hiding out here of all places," she said in an attempt to at least show the witch she was sincere. "You've been declared dead by the Ministry of Magic, by the way. As far as they're concerned you were killed in battle. We saw your entrance path when you fell and followed it to the edge of the woods but we decided to not pursue you. Well, myself, Luna, and Neville Longbottom decided against it. Neville thought it better to let fate decide your punishment. But, I guess you decided your own."

Silence met her but the feeling remained.

Hermione took a seat on the forest floor; her feet ached from the walk. She blew a strand of hair away from her face and pressed on.

"I didn't come out here to out you or hurt you…which I believe I could if I wanted to, by the way. I've gotten better. I just…I wanted…closure, I guess. I should hate you for what you did to me—the pain you inflicted and the torture and…that vile word you carved into my arm with that cursed blade."

Silence.

"A constant reminder of your hatred for me and people like me…just because we aren't of 'pure' blood." Hermione scoffed. "It doesn't make you anymore superior to me. If it did, the other witches of my age are quite daft then to be less off than a mudblood."

Nothing.

"I overheard McGonagall a few years ago. She said that you and I are two sides of the same coin…and I think about that a lot. We are similar in so many ways and I don't doubt that if our positions were reversed there would've been a very good possibility that I would've turned out like you…maybe…who can say. But I don't think you and I are that different from one another. Despite you being bloody mad, you're an exceptional spell caster and so…_fierce_, passionate, and _unhinged_ when you duel, but so in control. It's amazing to watch…well—as good as it could be with curses being fired at me. I wish I had that talent."

Hermione sat in silence for a few moments. Despite the uneasy feeling the forest always brought out, she didn't feel frightened or worried for her safety. She knew she was capable of protecting herself, but somehow knowing that Bellatrix had swatted a centaur off like a fly at the possibility of her in danger brought her comfort.

"Why did you protect me? I'm more than capable of protecting myself, but even if I wasn't that doesn't explain why you protected me. You hate muggle-borns, and you tortured me…and yet you put my safety first and then just…left. You didn't try to torture me or harm me you just simply, left. Why?"

She received no response again and she sighed. She could see that it was starting to grow dark and wanted to make it out of the forest before that happened. There was a full moon tonight and she had no interest risking a run in with a werewolf.

"I'll keep your secret safe, but I will be back," Hermione said to the woods. She stood and brushed the leaves from her cloak before turning and heading back the way she had come, aware of a set of eyes on her until she was out of sight.

* * *

Hermione returned to the forest a week later on a Saturday. She had finished her grading early so that she could make the trip into the woods and, hopefully, interact with the illusive Black.

She arrived at the spot, becoming used to the route that led her there, and sat herself against a tree.

It was a rare day in England; the sun was shining brightly without a cloud in the sky despite the slightly brisk air. The sun streamed through the trees and touched the forest floor, illuminating it in such a way that it was less threatening than normal.

She sat for a few moments just examining the forest. She had never spent this much time here before. She had only ever entered because she absolutely had to, and even then, it required a great deal of Gryffindor bravery.

She suddenly felt as if she was no longer alone, and her eyes scanned over the area curiously. She assumed it was Bellatrix, examining her from wherever she was hiding. The presence felt non-threatening, and so Hermione remained in her spot.

"I told you I would be back," she said aloud. "Are you going to come out and meet me this time?"

Silence.

She wasn't surprised. She figured it would be awhile before Bellatrix would come out to meet her, if she ever did at all.

"I don't know if you're in contact with any of your family…but Draco is getting married in two months. Astoria Greengrass. They seem to be quite happy, and it wasn't an arranged marriage." Hermione waited a beat. "I stay in touch with Draco. After everything happened with the war, we all put our differences aside and he and Harry have actually become good friends. Oddly, so have he and I."

She thought she would receive some sort of response for that at least. Instead she was met with silence, as usual, but the watched feeling never dissipated.

"Does Narcissa even know you're still alive?" Hermione asked. Her voice was softer than she intended and she wondered if Bellatrix could even hear her. "Andromeda is doing well too. I don't know if you hold any affection for her…Andromeda doesn't seem to believe so…but you're sisters, I doubt that you feel nothing for her at all like she believes."

There was a shift of unease once she finished. She could still feel the eyes on her but the calm the presence brought her now brought her uncertainty.

"I think she misses you," Hermione added softly. "She's been raising Teddy. Her grandson."

The tension in the air was thick then and Hermione swallowed thickly. Now she was becoming nervous.

"Lucius has been on house arrest," she said quickly, hoping to dispel the tension she caused.

It severed like cut by a knife and Hermione relaxed instantly.

"Narcissa doesn't seem very pleased by it. I think she's still angry with him for the danger he put Draco in. Draco is…it's complicated. They're trying to mend their relationship." She fidgeted with her wand, toying with it out of nervous habit. "Let's see…who else…"

She trailed off, thinking about what else she could talk to Bellatrix about.

"The Ministry is still rebuilding. It's been an absolute mess really. I'm glad I didn't put my life on that career path. I'm tired of cleaning up everyone else's messes. I'm twenty years old and just…so very tired." Hermione chuckled. "Not that you would care about that. But, my friends and I went through far more than any child should. From the age of eleven nothing has been easy for us and we had to lead the fight for a war that should have been handled by the adults who were supposed to protect us." The last part she said with anger.

She could feel a shift in the air and realized she must have surprised the dark witch…if that was who was listening. For all she knew it could be a curious centaur, or animagus, or a ghost even. There had been enough death after all.

Hermione sighed and allowed her head to fall back against the tree trunk. She closed her eyes for a few moments and took in the quietness of the forest.

"I wish I could _talk_ to you. Have an actual conversation. I have so many questions for you. So many I never even realized."

Hermione stood from her spot. Her left leg had fallen asleep and she figured she had sat and talked long enough. She didn't want to overwhelm the witch.

The thought made her pause for a moment before she shrugged it off.

She cast a glance in the direction she felt the presence and said, "I'll be back again."

* * *

A few weeks had gone by, and each week Hermione had visited on Saturday, and sat hoping Bellatrix would finally talk to her. This Saturday was no different. The weather was less than pleasant this time though, as the fall weather was finally beginning to set in. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her as she approached the familiar area. She pulled out the flask in her pocket and took a swig of the firewhiskey.

Hermione wasn't one for hard alcohol but whenever there was a chill in the air that seeped into her bones, she would indulge herself to shuck off the cold.

She sat down at her tree and took another sip, sighing happily when warmth spread throughout her body.

She waited a few moments, and as usual the familiar feeling of eyes on her settled on the side of her face.

"How long must I come here and sit waiting for you?" Hermione asked. She turned her head to the side and looked at the trees, eyes focusing on where she believed Bellatrix to be. "Have you not realized that I'm not your enemy?"

Silence met her. She was used to the lack of a response.

"Harry asked Ginny to marry him. So, there will be a wedding in about a year," Hermione began. "I'm happy for them. Ginny's been playing for the Holyhead Harpies professionally and Harry's doing really well as an Auror."

She could feel the usual tension seep into the air when she mentioned Harry.

"I haven't told him about us," Hermione quickly assured. She blushed furiously when she realized what she said. "I mean, _you_. I haven't told him about you, or me coming out here."

Hermione could have sworn the air vibrated—almost like…

Laughter.

She focused on her breathing and tried to will the flush on her face away. She knew she always grew red as a tomato when she was embarrassed.

"That's really all the news that I have," Hermione pressed on. "My students have been getting on my last nerves. Oh," she started, suddenly aware she hadn't even told Bellatrix what she does, "I'm the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor now."

Silence.

"Don't get me wrong I really enjoy it. Plus, not to toot my own horn, as the muggles say, I'm probably the best teacher they've had in years. At least I am willing to _teach_ them defensive and offensive spells. They seem to respect me too. Not just because of my friendship with Harry or my role in the Golden Trio…but _me_ as a professor." A frown graced Hermione's face. "It's nice to feel useful without feeling used."

Silence again.

Hermione didn't mind. The admission was vulnerable and took even herself by surprise.

Then she felt a soft presence, almost like a blanket lightly tracing the skin—except it was in her mind.

Hermione stiffened and tossed up the shields in her mind. She was experienced in Occlumency and didn't care for the sudden attempted intrusion.

The sensation didn't lessen. Instead, it felt like it was waiting patiently.

Hermione's brow furrowed and she carefully lowered the shield to let whomever it was, in. Her eyes darted around the landscape in search of anything that could be the culprit.

"_No need to look, pet_," Bellatrix whispered in her mind.

Hermione couldn't help the shiver that coursed through her. The woman's voice was like velvet, softer than she remembered, and it wrapped around her thoughts like a warm embrace. Something she would never associate with the former Death Eater.

"Bellatrix," Hermione breathed out. Her nerves were showing. She was willingly allowing the dark witch access to her mind.

She was surprised when Bellatrix stayed at the forefront, refusing to wander anywhere else or attempt to break the shields Hermione still held up.

_"__Haven't you grown tired of visiting me?"_ Bellatrix asked, suddenly child-like.

"Obviously not since I've been visiting for a month." Hermione sighed. "You haven't bothered to even acknowledge me."

_"__Aw, did I hurt the little witch's feelings?_" Bellatrix asked mockingly.

Hermione shrugged. She didn't even bother to respond.

She could feel Bellatrix's emotions while she waited. She knew her lack of response perplexed the other woman. She wasn't used to someone not taking her bait.

"You don't need to deflect," Hermione chided.

A grumble was the only response she got.

"I'm glad you finally answered me, though. Even if it's only like this...it was getting a little lonely."

Bellatrix remained silent but didn't withdraw her presence.

They stayed like that for a while. Hermione briefly thought about leaving, and suddenly Bellatrix spoke up. It startled her. She had forgotten the witch was still there in her mind—unmoving. Hermione almost didn't know how to feel at the realization. Various emotions soared through her, knowing that the woman who had tortured her, was an experienced legilimens, and notorious for having no respect for boundaries—had in fact done just that.

_"__When you were here…a few times before…you mentioned my sisters."_ A pause of uncertainty encompassed them. "_How are they still?" _Bellatrix finally asked quietly.

Hermione never knew the witch could be that gentle. The fear that surged off her once she asked was overwhelming, and Hermione responded by sending waves of soothing emotions without thinking.

_"__They're both well, Bellatrix. I think they miss you. I've…hesitantly brought you up to see and…Narcissa misses you. She doesn't say it but the look in her eyes when I mentioned you…there was longing. Andromeda…well I think she misses you because she looks outright angry she didn't get to punch you before you disappeared,_" Hermione responded in her mind. She felt like it was more natural to talk to her this way since she couldn't see her.

Bellatrix stayed silent but Hermione could tell she was mulling over what she had said.

Then, slowly and carefully, she felt the dark witch withdraw from her mind.

She would be lying if she didn't miss the presence. It wasn't so lonely with the former Death Eater occupying a space in her mind.

"I'll see you next week."

* * *

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	3. Power Over Me

**Hello, dears! Next chapter is up! I hope you guys all like it! Chapter 4 will be up before you know it. This one ended up being a little shorter but the next two are fairly long.**

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**Power Over Me - Dermot Kennedy**

* * *

Bellatrix was…confused. The younger witch had been visiting her for at least a month, and Bellatrix wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. A part of her wanted to leave the safety of her hidden cottage and afford herself some companionship, if only for a bit.

But the larger part of her was still terrified. She worried if she left the safety of her walls; the woman might try to whisk her off to turn her in. Granted, Bellatrix would be a challenge to take in, but she wasn't willing to take that chance. She wasn't stupid.

The younger witch would visit and sit outside of the cottage, just in view of one of the windows so that Bellatrix could peer out to see when she arrived. Then, she would quietly open the door, sit on the step, and listen to the news that the witch brought.

The news about her sisters had struck a chord. She wished to mend the relationship with them both, but she didn't feel deserving of their love. She also knew any association with her would endanger them with the Ministry, and they had both been through too much because of their family's involvement in the war.

She wasn't going to risk that for them. They had earned their peace and happiness, and Bellatrix knew they were better off without her. Still, the news of them made her happy yet set her on edge. So many emotions flooded through her—love, loss, sadness, pain.

The news of Draco made her smile. She was glad the little prat had found a woman that would tolerate his moody arse. She didn't really care much about the news of Potter and the Weasley girl…but the young witch seemed so happy when she spoke of them that she found she didn't mind listening.

She had pushed her first visit from her mind for the most part. She didn't have answers for her about the torture and her carving mudblood into her forearm. She knew that if she continued to visit her she would have to address it eventually, but that was a matter for later and she still needed to think on it and examine herself.

She wasn't surprised the cheeky witch had become the new DADA professor. The woman was bright as all hell; she knew that from the start. Those idiotic boys would never have gotten past their first year without the girl.

Then the witch's confession hit Bellatrix like a vault slamming in Gringotts.

Oh she knew the feeling. To want to be useful without being used, useful without being a pawn, without being a weapon…to be wanted and seen for her talents with no ulterior motive.

She had reached out to soothe the woman before she even realized what she was doing. Initially when she realized, it was just to be a touch of comfort with her mind…but the frantic way in which the shields rose gave her pause and she felt obligated to soothe that anxiety she caused.

She was tired of causing unease. She had done it all of her life. She had managed to escape from the war and didn't intend on continuing her terror.

So, she brushed against the shields as softly as possible. She released a soft gasp of surprise when a shield lowered and allowed her to slip inside.

She was careful. She knew that had she wanted to invade the witch's thoughts, she would just have to push. But she wasn't there to explore. She simply sat and continued to stroke the shields with soothing thoughts.

"No need to look, pet."

She saw the surprise on her face and the…softness when she breathed out her name.

Her instinct was to play the part she had played for years. Just mad enough. Change her voice to a higher pitch, add a lilt, a dash of insanity, sell it…

So she did. She deflected.

She did what she was good at. Affording herself this simple interaction was more than she deserved, and she tried to lessen it despite the fact that she knew it was being offered to her freely. She was never good at accepting anything. There was always a reason for it. There was always something to be gained from her…

This was different. This witch had every reason to hate her and yet here she was…every Saturday—wanting to talk to her about everything and nothing.

She wasn't sure what to do with it.

She allowed a sliver of vulnerability and asked about her sisters.

When the witch answered with her mind, she could feel the soothing emotions roll over her with each word. She felt her breath hitch in her throat at the information she gave about Cissy and Andy. Merlin she missed them.

Wetness seeped from her eyes and she squeezed them tight. Her chest ached painfully and she didn't want to risk her company feeling what she felt…she didn't want to scare her off. She was growing accustomed to these Saturday visits.

It terrified her. Because, she knew, one day they would stop. She would be alone again.

So she withdrew from the witch's mind, soft and slow. Once she was free, she released a shaky breath and tried to ignore the look of loss that flashed across the young woman's face.

"I'll see you next week."

She watched as the witch rose and walked off through the forest—until she was out of sight, and then she stood. She wiped away the tears that still clung to her cheeks and shut the door behind her; falling onto the couch and wrapping the blanket around her tightly provided some comfort as the tears silently fell onto the cushion.

* * *

Bellatrix sat on the step of her cottage front door. Her eyes were scanning the tree line while her ears listened to every subtle movement that happened around her.

It was Saturday.

Her witch was late.

She was beginning to think she wasn't going to show when she saw her weaving in between the trees at a fast pace. She drew her wand, ready to fight whatever was chasing the woman.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Hermione called as she approached. She collapsed against her tree and released a few heavy breaths. "A few first year Slytherins decided it would be a good idea to taunt Peeves, and I had to smooth things over."

Bellatrix chuckled quietly at the thought, and ignored the anxiety that immediately dissipated at the sight of the witch.

She bit her lip with uncertainty before making a decision. Carefully, she reached out with her mind and gently brushed against the other witch's mind.

Her head turned to look in her direction, as she met no resistance. She hadn't bother to throw up a single shield.

Bellatrix's breath hitched in her throat at the blatant display of trust.

She remained just in the forefront, sending soothing waves and refusing to believe the look of appreciation and contentment on the younger woman's face.

"Here I thought you just weren't coming," Bellatrix commented with a dark chuckle.

Granger sighed. "I wouldn't miss it. Don't act like you weren't nervous about it."

Bellatrix stiffened and she immediately felt a warmth envelope her thoughts. She sighed. She hated that she enjoyed that small comfort that immensely.

"How goes the teaching?" she asked, wanting to distract from her own vulnerability and insecurity.

"Well enough I suppose. I had a bit of a heated argument with Headmistress McGonagall regarding students learning patronus charms in their second year."

Bellatrix hummed. "I take it she doesn't want them to learn it quite yet."

"Indeed. Well you know, that was reserved for seventh year students…then when everything happened we had taken it upon ourselves to teach them…I taught first years how to cast a patronus."

A pang of guilt hit Bellatrix but she pushed it aside. "Well, pet, I know my opinion doesn't mean shite, but I think you did the right thing fighting for that. Just because the little ones shouldn't have to encounter a dementor…it certainly doesn't hurt to be protected from them. Nasty bastards."

"Actually…it does mean a great deal. You know what the dementors are like more than anyone," Hermione thought softly.

Another wave of warmth enveloped Bellatrix and she stifled a moan. It felt too good to be cared for and she pulled back some. She could feel the panic rise up in the other witch and resisted the urge to pull away completely. She remained just on the edge.

"I'm sorry."

Bellatrix grit her teeth. Great, now she was apologizing. To me of all people!

She couldn't handle it. She pulled out completely, immediately feeling guilty for the look of panic and loss that crossed her little witch's face.

"Bellatrix, I'm so sorry. Please come back." Her voice was pleading and desperate.

Bellatrix had no idea what to do. She wasn't used to being shown such kindness and comfort. It was too much…and now the poor thing sat there looking heartbroken that she had withdrawn. All she wanted to do was reach back out, comfort her, and explain that she didn't know how to receive very well. However, that required vulnerability and she felt far too much a coward for that.

She sat on her doorstep and watched the emotions play out over the other woman's face.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

Her mind reached out at an alarming speed and crashed into Hermione's. There was no gentleness when she entered and she stopped as soon as she broke through, not daring to go further than where she had been allowed thus far.

"Why do you do this to me?" she demanded. She was angry and she could see that she had caught the little witch by surprise with the sudden intrusion and vehemence with which she spoke. "Why?! Why do you visit every bloody Saturday and sit here and speak to me like I'm a fucking person and not the monster that haunts your dreams? I did unspeakable things. Things to your loved ones and you! Yet here you are every fucking week leaving me no peace!"

Hermione flinched at the bombardment of words and feelings, and Bellatrix almost felt bad…but she needed to know why. She needed to push her. To see if this was all an act or genuine. Push. She could do that.

She retreated once more to the very edge of her mind and waited.

Hermione's eyes opened and looked in her direction. "You're like a hurricane you know? Ruthless, powerful…calm until you strike." She paused. "I don't know. I thought over that moment of you coming to my defense with that centaur over and over again. I replayed every moment, Bellatrix. I don't know why you did it…but you did and—to me everyone deserves a second chance. The fact that you did that without prompting…aiding a mudblood…you could have ignored it and continued your silence and I would've been none the wiser. But you didn't. That to me speaks volumes. What Death Eater would do that? There's good in you," she explained aloud.

Bellatrix sat still and remained in her spot in Hermione's mind, mulling over what she had said. She felt the fight leave her and exhaustion take hold. She never was good with emotions.

Slowly she moved further in Hermione's mind, coming to rest where she was permitted. She sent out soothing thoughts and waves. She wanted to soothe where she crashed, not wanting to harm anymore.

Then, she slowly retreated and left her mind.

* * *

She didn't expect her witch to show up the following Saturday. She was sure she had pushed her away with her little outburst and tried to not get her hopes up that she would be proven wrong. She stayed in bed, wallowing in her sorrow and allowing herself a moment of weakness by crying.

"Bellatrix?" she heard her call.

Her eyes widened as she leapt from the bed and ran to the door, opening it as quietly as possible and taking in the sight of the young woman sitting in her usual spot.

She didn't realize she released a breath she had been holding until her eyes landed on the welcome sight.

"I'm here, pet."

Hermione returned the following Saturday, and the Saturday after that, and after that…

Each time Bellatrix stayed in the forefront of her mind and tried not to overly enjoy the warmth she received. She noticed the younger witch was softer with the waves of warmth, as if she would be too hot to stand.

She was. The warmth she gave off was like the sun, and Bellatrix was freezing. She loved it, but it burned the first few dozen times until it slowly began to become something she was accustomed to.

It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

They continued to talk. Hermione would tell her of her students and classes, and occasionally information on anything interesting that was happening in the world and Bellatrix would simply enjoy listening.

Eventually she began to open up and talk about books she was reading. Not surprisingly, Hermione had read most of them as well. Nevertheless, there were a few that she jotted down to look at since Bellatrix had recommended them.

That had filled her with warmth as well. The simple intimacy of sharing was even foreign to her. The last time she had shared something as simple as reading material with someone was…well…that was a long time ago.

She hated to admit it but she was slowly beginning to trust the woman—truly trust.

* * *

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	4. You and I

**Hello, my lovelies! Here is the next chapter. Just one more left for these two!**

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**Song: You and I - PVRIS**

* * *

Bellatrix awoke with a start at a commotion happening outside of the cottage. She shot up in bed and grabbed her wand, rushing from the room to peer out the window and see what was happening.

The first snow had fallen she noticed. Her eyes narrowed as she moved to the door and opened it, welcoming the cold air.

She couldn't see where the noise was coming from but she heard the snapping and breaking of branches not far off.

The sound of spell work caught her ear next. It was still very early and the forest was just beginning to get the first kisses of sun.

A bolt of blue whizzed in the distance, followed by red, then yellow—all from different directions.

There were more than one.

Bellatrix was about to step back inside and mind her own business when a familiar touch to her mind gave her pause. She opened her mind immediately; ignoring the fact that this was the first time her little witch had tried to touch her mind first.

_"Bella!"_

Bellatrix grabbed her cloak and rushed from the door, wand in hand as she ran toward the duel.

She arrived in time to see a man waving his wand frantically through the air, unable to hit his target.

"Stop moving you little bitch!" he yelled. His eyes were mad with rage as he shot off a curse at a figure weaving between the trees.

_"How many?" _Bellatrix asked.

_"Four._"

She ducked behind the trees and scanned the area for the others. They had to be snatchers. There was no other reason why four random prats would be in this forest of all places.

She crept up on the nearest and hit him with a stunning spell, knocking him out. She moved closer and obliviated him before moving around the back of the others.

Her little witch was keeping them occupied.

_"Pet, three left. Try to get them separated a little more for me."_

She saw the young witch dive from behind a tree, release a string of spells, and then vanish once more.

"Fucking surround her!" the same man yelled. "You, head right. You, left. I'll try and push her toward one of you. Where's Crass?"

"I think he got hit," the man on the right said.

"Fuck. Just go," the leader growled out.

Bellatrix waited in the brush for them to move further away from each other. As they spread out she followed the one on the right, who lagged slightly behind in pace.

She weaved between the trees and inched closer; releasing her spell once she was close enough. He hit the ground and she wiped his memory.

_"Two now, love," _she thought softly. She sent out a wave of warmth and smiled to herself when she felt the gratitude pour back.

She saw bright light hit the one on the left. Unfortunately, the leader did as well.

He began firing off spell after spell until Bellatrix shot off another stunning spell and knocked him to the ground. She obliviated his memory as well and then moved toward her companion.

"Pet?" Bellatrix called out.

"Here!"

Bellatrix strode toward the younger witch, ignoring the cold that was seeping into her bare feet, and stopped before her with a questioning eyebrow.

Hermione was holding the man by the collar and extracting information from him. "Seems we have some unicorn poachers here."

"Former," Bellatrix corrected with a satisfied smirk. "I obliviated the others. They'll be lucky if they remember their names. I don't take kindly to intruders."

Hermione chuckled and dropped the man to the forest floor while Bellatrix held out her wand and erased the man's memory.

Her eyes slid up to meet her witch's. She hadn't seen her face to face since that first encounter, and now she felt incredibly vulnerable being seen. The professor was staring at her with fascination and…a look that Bellatrix could only describe as affection.

It made her uncomfortable for a moment before she shook it off and tried to enjoy what she could before her insecurity and inability to accept kindness overtook her.

"Hi," Hermione said breathlessly.

Bellatrix blinked in surprise and offered a small smile. "I suppose this means I can't go back to avoiding facing you directly?"

Hermione's eyes shone with kindness. "I've been longing to see you for months, but if it makes you wary or uncomfortable we can go back to what we have been doing."

Bellatrix knew that she meant it. She could see it written all over the woman's face. Merlin knows she didn't want to go back to what they had been doing. Simply having contact from afar was no longer enough.

"No need, pet," Bellatrix said softly before she turned on her heel and headed back toward her cottage. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure the witch was following, and when she saw she wasn't, she gently prodded against her mind and beckoned her to follow.

She waited until Hermione came to stand next to her before she said the incantation aloud and waved her wand.

The cottage came into view and Bellatrix headed inside to warmth. She shucked her cloak from her shoulders and went to stand near the fire, her front facing Hermione and a worried look in her eyes.

"What were you doing out here so early?" Bellatrix asked seriously. "It was barely morning."

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip nervously and looked at Bellatrix from beneath thick eyelashes.

The sight sent a thrill through her, but she stamped it down—too afraid to entertain the notion. She wondered what had the women so shy all of a sudden.

Then she realized she was only in a thin nightgown. She completely forgot about her lack of clothing when she thought the little witch was in danger.

Another jolt went through her and she shrugged it off. She wanted an answer to her question.

"Well?"

That got Hermione to snap out of it. "I woke up and saw that the snow had fallen and…well…I wanted to come and spend it with you." She moved toward the fireplace and held her hands out to warm them. Her eyes glanced around the cottage. "So this is where you've been living the past three years."

Bellatrix simply nodded.

"It's quaint. Something I wouldn't associate with a member of the House of Black," she teased with a gentle smile. Her eyes scanned over the bookshelves. "You weren't kidding when you said you had a small collection."

"There are more in the bedroom as well," Bellatrix added softly.

Hermione regarded her a moment. "Bella," she began, drawing the woman's eyes at the nickname. "Would you be more comfortable if I left?"

Bellatrix blanched. "No, absolutely n—well…"she trailed off. "I don't want you to go."

Hermione nodded in understanding and moved to sit on the couch. "We can still talk?"

"That would be…ideal."

Hermione's head tilted the side, curiosity taking over her features. "Please don't take this the wrong way but…you don't seem…"

Bellatrix grinned like the Cheshire cat and took a guess. "Mad?"

Hermione nodded.

"I suppose not. I never was insane," she admitted. "I played that role. It was a mask I wore. It was easier to hide behind that than reveal anything about myself. I suppose I did…develop some unhealthy traits that bled over." She rolled the thought around for a moment. "Granted, I certainly have always had some."

"You faked madness?"

"For the most part. It was easier than being…me," Bellatrix whispered to the flames. Her eyes slowly turned to Hermione, who was regarding her with a softness that…

Bellatrix released a pained gasp. "Why do you look at me like that?" she demanded in a hiss.

The question caught Hermione off guard. "What do you mean?"

"You look at me like…like," Bellatrix struggled to find the words and it was infuriating. Everything about the woman was! "Like I matter! Like what I feel and say matters!"

Hermione shook her head, confusion evident in her voice when she spoke, "That's because you do?"

Bellatrix gritted her teeth and growled. She was in front of the witch in a heartbeat, their noses almost touching. "How could I? I have done such awful things. No one who did the things I did deserves this sort of care."

Hermione's gaze was unwavering. "You're wrong, Bella. You deserve it. You deserve it because you are human and you are trying to be better."

She didn't move from her spot. Truth be told when she confronted her she truly wanted answers, but now sharing the air with her…it was making her lightheaded. She smelled of spices and earth and Bellatrix was finding it harder to maintain a modicum of restraint.

She sucked in a breath and moved away from the witch, attempting to regain her ability to breathe. She thought for a moment the young woman would reach out for her, but she seemed to think better of it. She forced herself to believe that she was only drawn to the other woman because of her loneliness, but the attempt had no oomph behind it.

_Gentle with me, pet. I'm skittish._

The small look of understanding that flashed in Hermione's eyes gave Bellatrix pause. She was sure that she had separated their minds.

Nevertheless, she maintained her distance and moved to one of her bookshelves. She plucked one, running her finger over the binding.

"You mentioned demonstrating counter curses for particularly…nasty ones, for your seventh years, in one of our conversations." She spoke softly as she turned and handed the book to Hermione.

Hermione took the offered item wordlessly. She scanned the title and a look of confusion fell on her face.

"You won't find that in the restricted section…it's particularly awful dark magic, pet." She swallowed. "_He_ gave it to me when I first joined."

Hermione looked stunned, but she didn't drop the book or lash out like Bellatrix had expected, so she blundered on.

"If you ask me there should more than just three Unforgivable curses," she admitted. "I learned so many horrible spells from that book. I used almost all of them over my years. Many of them are worse off than the Unforgivable curses, I think. If you don't know the counter curse…the suffering is out of your hands, as well as mine unless the counter curse is performed."

Hermione remained silent.

"You don't have to take it," she assured. "But I'm sure many of your seventh years will want to become Aurors and follow in Potter and Weasley's footsteps. If they hunt down any of the Death Eaters, they should know these curses. I may have been known for my Cruciatus curse…but I can assure you that I was…equally gifted in these."

Stunned silence met her. She grew nervous; feeling like her skin was itching from a hundred ants crawling all over.

"I'll take it back," Bellatrix said quickly, stepping forward to grab the book from Hermione's grasp.

The young witch pulled the book back. "No, Bella."

She arched an eyebrow questioningly, rooted to the spot.

"This…this is amazing. I'm not thrilled of its origins but…Harry and Ron will even find this amazingly helpful and I plan on only going over the severity of these curses with my students. The ones that have plans to be Aurors I'll share more with. There are a couple that I know for sure can be trusted with something of this magnitude." Hermione looked down at the book again and Bellatrix wondered what was running through her head.

When she looked up though, she could see it plain as day on her face. Gratitude and trust.

Warmth spread through her body and she found herself smiling gently at the young witch. Then her own thoughts turned against her and she went cold. She coughed to try to mask the change, but she could see that the young witch had noticed her mask slip back in place.

"I know it's a habit for you, but you're safe with me, Bella," Hermione said carefully. She stayed in her spot, not moving closer nor away. "I have to get back to the school, the students should be returning from Hogsmeade soon and I'm supposed to be head counting as they return." She rolled her eyes.

Silence blanketed them as Hermione shifted back and forth on her feet nervously.

"I can still come back next Saturday?" she asked.

Bellatrix gave a slow nod and wrapped her arms around her waist.

She watched with rapt attention as the other woman walked closer to her. She stopped just before her and leaned in, lightly touching her lips to her cheek.

Bellatrix was flooded with pleasant sensations and she sucked in a surprised breath.

"Thank you for today," Hermione whispered against her cheek.

Then she turned and strode out of the door, leaving Bellatrix alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Things continued like that for another month. Hermione was patient and kind, and Bellatrix slowly allowed herself to open up more. They still kept the conversation as light as possible, with Bellatrix occasionally letting things slip about her time as a Death Eater.

Hermione listened each time. Sometimes she stayed silent, allowing Bellatrix to steer the conversation afterward so that she could maintain some control. Other times she would offer reassurance.

The dark witch's outbursts were becoming fewer and further between.

Both women were enjoying the others company immensely. Hermione still wanted her closure though, but she found she didn't mind waiting as long as needed until Bella felt comfortable enough to approach the subject.

Hermione had kept their visits a secret, not wanting to ruin the trust the dark witch was placing in her hands. Harry and Ron had noticed a change in her demeanor, and often commented on her outward happiness.

Harry assumed that Ron and she had been possibly working toward something more after things that happened during the war failed to go anywhere.

Hermione assured him that wasn't the case, but Ron seemed to think that she was in a better place and able to receive his affection.

Truth be told, she was only interested in the affection of a dark haired witch with eyes that reminded her of burning wood.

She had thwarted his advances over and over until one day the git decided to just go for a kiss. The moment his lips connected with hers, she smacked him upside the head and gave him a proper verbal lashing.

He had apologized profusely, which Hermione was glad for—then he had to go and ruin it by implying that she had been stringing him along all these years.

She was fuming. She had apparated from the burrow, with Harry, Ron, and Ginny's voices chasing her as she disappeared.

She found herself just outside of the Forbidden Forest as night began to fall. She knew it was dangerous but couldn't bring herself to care. She just wanted to vent to the one person that understood her.

She made it to the cottage quickly enough and saw the soft light from the fireplace flicker in the windows.

Bellatrix had allowed the cottage to be visible to only herself and Hermione now. It had been an unspoken gesture, but Hermione knew it was a way for Bellatrix to show her she trusted her with her secret.

She didn't even bother to knock. She had already brushed against Bellatrix's mind as a warning she was coming.

Still, the dark witch seemed surprised to see her.

"The stupid git!" Hermione raged through gritted teeth as soon as she entered the cottage. The door slammed behind her with a force that seemed to shake the foundation of the home.

Bellatrix's brow furrowed with concern as the shock dissipated. "What's happened?"

"Ronald fucking Weasley, that's what! The stupid git kissed me, thinking that I want more than friendship with him. Then he had the _audacity_ to imply that I've been stringing him along all these years. Unbelievable!" Hermione ranted.

She only stopped when she realized that the waves of emotion flowing through her…felt different.

Jealousy, anger, sadness…all rolled over her at once. Her eyes connected with Bellatrix's and she suddenly became very aware that she hadn't disconnected them.

She was so comfortable with the dark witch residing in her mind and she in hers…that she hadn't even thought to pull away.

She was stunned at the last emotion that hit her before Bellatrix abruptly vacated, leaving Hermione feeling emptier.

_Hope_.

"I'm sorry for barging in and going on like that," Hermione supplied as she took a seat next to the dark haired woman.

Bellatrix was tense next to her, too afraid to comment on the emotions she knew Hermione had felt.

Carefully, so as not to startle her, Hermione reached for Bellatrix's hand and entwined their fingers.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked softly.

Bellatrix suddenly released a growl of irritation and looked sharply at Hermione, startling the young witch. She felt mad, enraged, feral…possessive.

"Who the _fuck_ does he think he is?" she roared. "As if because he helped Potter win the war he's entitled to another person. As if he is entitled to _you_. You aren't his!"

Hermione was taken back by the sudden outburst. Bellatrix hadn't had an outburst in weeks.

A flutter in her stomach caused Hermione to release a ragged breath. Bellatrix looked…wild and savage—but oh so beautiful. Her curly black hair was glossy in the light and slightly mussed, as if she was sleeping before Hermione had barged in. Her eyes sparkled with unbridled need and rage, as if someone had lit those charred logs once more. Her white teeth gnashed together as she continued to rant and rave like a mad woman, and Hermione never thought she looked more beautiful.

She had tuned out for most of Bellatrix's rant until something in particular caught her attention.

Bellatrix, on the other hand, was consumed by jealousy and anger. She was furious that some red-haired man-child thought he was remotely on the same level as her Hermione. She let the words fly from her lips, unaware of what she was even saying. She just knew that the anger, the parts of her that had always been unpleasant and there, were coming out and there was nothing she could do about it.

"You're _mine_, not his!" Bellatrix growled out. She was pacing back and forth in front of the couch, her hands waving wildly as she released her pent up frustration.

She only stopped when she felt arms wrap around her. It caught her by surprise, the sudden affection. Hermione had never hugged her, and she couldn't remember the last time she had even been hugged—it had been so long.

Her rage dissipated immediately and she was about to ask why she was being hugged when soft, pink lips pressed against hers.

She melted. Her body relaxed in the other woman's arms and she felt her grip on her tighten. She wasted no time in returning the kiss. Lights exploded behind her eyelids and a feeling of heat soared through her chest. She had never felt so alive.

Her hands tangled in a mane of hair and she pulled the young witch flush against her in an attempt to get her as close as possible. She wanted to crawl inside and stay there; it was where she was meant to be.

Hermione was in a similar state of bliss. When Bellatrix had let slip that she thought of her as 'hers,' she couldn't resist the urge to do what she had been wanting to do for months. She had hoped Bellatrix felt the same as her, but hearing it herself did wonders for her self-confidence.

Eventually, the kisses died down to a leisurely pace. Bellatrix was afraid that if she stopped, Hermione would pull away and immediately regret locking lips with a former Death Eater. Her need for the little witch's affection was as intense as the gravity with which the planets orbited the sun. It was pure and desperate and both terrified and exhilarated her.

When the young witch pulled back slightly, Bellatrix did her best to hide the feeling of disappointment that washed over her.

"I've been wanting to do that for months," Hermione breathed against her lips.

Bellatrix's eyes fluttered open to look at the other woman in disbelief.

"Yes, Bellatrix Black, I have been wanting to kiss you for months," Hermione confirmed, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Desperately."

"Why?" Bellatrix whispered. Her voice sounded so small and terrified to her own ears.

Hermione gently tucked an errant curl behind the woman's ear and offered a sweet smile. "Because I am attracted to you and have been...invested in seeing if there could ever be a possibility for _this_."

"I tortured you."

It was a statement—a plain fact. In Bellatrix's mind, that was inexcusable.

Hermione, on the other hand, felt differently. "You did. Do you regret it?"

"Yes," Bellatrix whispered, afraid that the admission would somehow have an adverse effect.

"Did you regret it before…this?"

"Yes," she repeated. She felt tears prick at her eyes and cursed herself for becoming emotional.

"Bella, you haven't called me a mudblood…or any variation of it since we started speaking." Hermione's voice was soft and almost fragile—as if even pointing it out would break everything they had built since then. She took her chance though, feeling it was now or never for the conversation.

"Would you prefer me to call you a 'mudpuppy,' pet?" Bellatrix asked, her voice slightly taunting.

A flash in Hermione's eyes told her she had certainly said the wrong thing, and she felt the younger witch begin to pull away.

Bellatrix immediately missed the full warmth of her body pressed against hers and tightened her grip, terrified to let go. "I'm sorry, please don't pull away."

She sounded so weak and desperate. It made her scowl on the inside, but she pushed it down and tried to focus on the witch before her instead.

"I…have been in solitude for three years, love. I read a lot. I tried to educate myself as best as I could and unlearn the prejudice that I inherited from my family. It hasn't been easy…but I have been trying to think differently and I—" she stopped suddenly and shook her head. "I want to be better."

Hermione's gaze softened and she reached up to cup Bellatrix's cheek. She stroked it softly and sighed before leaning forward and touching their foreheads together.

_Oh._ Bellatrix breathed out in her mind. _This is nice_.

"I'm in awe of you right now, Bella, and I don't know how to express it," Hermione whispered. She gently reached out with her mind and sought entrance, which Bellatrix granted immediately.

The waves of emotions that rolled through them both left them reeling.

The dark witch released a whimper and pulled Hermione closer to her, capturing her lips in a desperate kiss. She needed grounded.

She didn't know how long they kissed for, or at what point they ended up on the couch wrapped around each other. They had done nothing more than kiss, but Bellatrix found it all so intimate.

It frightened her, how easy it was to give in to the intimacy that was being offered. But with each kiss she reaped the reward and felt her pulse quicken. It was as if her body was alight with a fire that she hadn't experienced in decades.

She felt safe.

She clung tighter to her little witch, who had fallen asleep wrapped around the older woman and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Their minds were still linked, but Bellatrix put up a shield to keep her thoughts from disturbing her dreams.

She took advantage of the opportunity to look over the young witch's face. She seemed so peaceful in sleep. Her eyes fluttered softly as a dream danced behind them, and Bellatrix couldn't help but find the sight endearing. She traced her face with a finger, careful to avoid waking the slumbering woman, and marveled at the softness of her skin.

Never would she have guessed that the Dark Lord would fall, that she would be in self-imposed exile, and least of all, that she would be feeling the things she felt for the muggle-born woman against her side.

"You were never supposed to happen," Bellatrix whispered. "My father and mother are probably rolling over in their graves right now. Their eldest daughter, a Black, a pure-blood, the former right hand to the Dark Lord…holding tight to a muggle-born witch."

Hermione remained peacefully asleep as she spoke. She stroked her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Oh this makes me feel so weak, pet," she murmured against her skin. "So vulnerable and I'm helpless to stop it. Each time I've allowed a sliver of vulnerability it's been crushed underfoot. You're making me feel wanted…I'm terrified by what you're doing…" she trailed off. "Please don't stop."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to comment, kudo, and subscribe!**


	5. Bring Me To Life

**Well, my dears, here is the last chapter! It's hella smutty so please enjoy! I figured it would be fitting to update on a Saturday and end this story today, since our lovely ladies had their meetings on Saturdays.**

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**Book I: Darkness Is Rising**

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**Song: Bring Me To Life - Evanescence**

* * *

A routine had begun to take hold. Each Saturday Hermione would arrive, and she would stay into Sunday. Nothing progressed past heated kisses and a few wandering touches, and Bellatrix was grateful for it.

Not that she didn't want the little witch. She did—desperately. But she knew that this wouldn't be just a means to an end. She had feelings for her, and she was sure they ran much deeper than she would admit to herself.

She began opening up more, sharing parts of her childhood with her and even allowing her to wander through the memories in her mind. She wasn't as good with words to express what she felt, so she gave the witch reign to stroll down memory lane.

Hermione had been saddened, but not surprised, at the abuse she suffered from her mother and father. She had taken the severity of it to spare Andy and Cissy, so that they might survive with as much as their emotions intact as possible.

She felt she succeeded with Andy, for the most part.

_"Why did you fault her for loving a muggle-born?"_ Hermione had asked as she stood next to Bellatrix in her mind, watching the memory of Bellatrix discovering the relationship.

Bellatrix eyed the vision. Sadness seeped into her bones and her shoulders sagged with the weight of it. "_I believed what my parents spouted about pure-bloods and muggle-borns by this point. Their poison had already done its damage."_

She watched Andy storm off, crying out how much she hated her.

_"I didn't see why she was throwing her life away to be with a muggle_," she commented. _"And I ended up losing her in the end."_

The memory faded and she subconsciously cuddled in closer to the woman who was holding her tightly.

A hand soothingly stroked up and down her back, chasing away the dark thoughts that were mucking about in the forefront of her mind. With each stroke, a surge of warmth surged through her as Hermione gently dispelled the thoughts.

_Intimate,_ Bellatrix thought quickly, hoping that the young witch hadn't caught that thought as it floated by.

They laid in comfortable silence for a bit until Hermione finally asked, "_Have you ever been in love, Bella?"_

Bellatrix shut her eyes tight and tentatively brought a memory up for Hermione to witness.

_Bellatrix was anxiously pacing back and forth in the Room of Requirement. She was nervous as all hell and time seemed to be dragging on._

_She sighed with relief when she heard the door open._

_"Armina," Bellatrix said happily. _

"I was fifteen," Bellatrix said next to her as they watched the memory. "Her name was Armina Groff. She was a sixth year Ravenclaw student."

_"I was worried you weren't going to be able to come. We only have a bit before curfew," Bellatrix spoke quickly. She was smiling brightly as she looked at the older girl. She moved forward to take her hands, but Armina brushed the touch away._

_"Bella," she began carefully. "I like you but…"_

_Bellatrix's smile turned into a frown. "What do you mean?"_

_Armina shifted on her feet. "I just can't do this anymore. My parents would be furious if they knew…"_

_Bellatrix's mouth fell open in shock. "I'm sorry, _your_ parents would be furious? Why would they be furious! You're seeing a Black!"_

_"That's the point, Bella," Armina implored. "You're a Black, one of the families of the Sacred Twenty-Eight…Your family looks down on anyone less than a pure blood."_

_Bellatrix looked like she had been slapped. "I don't think that though, Armina."_

_"It's only a matter of time before you do," Armina snapped. "Besides your family would never accept us even if I did want to continue this. But I'm interested in someone else."_

_Tears began to form in Bellatrix's eyes and she had to force herself to remain calm. "Who?"_

_"Charlie Thomas," Armina replied honestly._

_Bellatrix shook her head as her lip quivered. "He's a muggle-born! You spout off on me about my pure-blood family's view on muggle-borns, but you hold the same prejudice for pure-bloods?"_

_Armina sighed. "Be reasonable, Bella. What we had was fun. But it's over now. I'm sorry. It just would never work."_

_Armina gave her hand a squeeze and then left the room, leaving Bellatrix all alone._

Bellatrix was about to end the memory but the look on Hermione's face allowed her to play the rest of it out.

_Bellatrix released a sob that resembled that of a wounded animal. She fell to her knees and rocked herself back and forth as she cried and tugged at her hair. Then she stood and began trashing the room. She broke mirrors and gadgets—anything that was near her that the room provided. She destroyed everything. Her heartbreak swirled around her in magical waves, crashing into the walls and items she had already broken with her bare hands._

_Finally, when she was done and surrounded by wreckage, her breathing beginning to even out, she wiped at her eyes. _

_"You're a Black, Bellatrix. You don't need anyone. You don't," she said with conviction._

Bellatrix ended the memory, leaving her and Hermione laying there in each other's arms.

"She seemed like a bitch anyway," Hermione commented after a few moments of silence.

Bellatrix released a genuine laugh, and Hermione looked at her with surprise. She had never heard her true laugh before, only her chuckles and mad cackles. But this—this was a genuine laugh filled with amusement. It was deep and throaty—musical…beautiful.

"I suppose she was," Bellatrix replied. Her eyes met Hermione's and she offered her a small smile. "When I think back on it, it seems like a silly reason to shut yourself off from the possibility of love. But later that year my parents announced my arranged marriage to Rodolphus, and it solidified the notion I would never have someone of my choosing. I had to do what was expected of me. I had a hard enough time finding anyone that actually wanted to _date_ me anyway."

"I find it hard to believe no one wanted to date you. You've always been so beautiful, Bella," Hermione commented honestly.

Bellatrix chuckled and the sound sent a shiver of pleasure up Hermione's spine.

"I had plenty of people that wanted to fuck me, nothing more than that," Bellatrix answered.

Hermione's mouth opened in an 'o' shape before closing. She held the woman next to her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't want to just fuck you," Hermione admitted.

Bellatrix pulled back from the embrace slightly to regard her.

"I enjoy your company. You're brilliant, funny—oddly enough—beautiful, and…" Hermione trailed off as she stroked the older witch's cheek. "You're good, Bella. I know you don't believe so. I know you are still working on it. But, a bad person doesn't try to be good."

Bellatrix could feel tears prick at the corner of her eyes again.

_Bollocks_, she thought irritably. She was tired of being so weak in front of the woman who had always been strong in front of her.

"It's not weak," Hermione said softly as she wiped a tear away.

"I can't offer you anything." Her voice was laced with despair and pain. "What can I give you? If I show my face I will be killed. Exile is the safest thing for me and that is no life for you."

Hermione cupped her face and kissed her softly to ease her suffering. "Bella, Harry Potter is one of my best friends…and not to brag but I have some weight to throw around in the community. I'm sure that I could work something out so you wouldn't serve a sentence or be in exile."

Bellatrix cast her eyes downward.

The younger witch tilted her chin upward. "If that isn't possible, then you can stay in your exile and I will come and go from here. But I would stay, Bella."

Bellatrix had no idea how to respond. She was at a loss for words. She had no idea why she was receiving such kindness and care from this woman, of all people, but Merlin did she want it.

She surged forward and captured Hermione's lips in a heated kiss. She poured everything she could into the kiss as her mind sent wave after wave of emotion through the young witch. She needed her to know her pain, her fear, her hope—just the turmoil that was happening inside her.

Hermione took it all in and wrapped the emotions up in a mental embrace. She sent waves of soothing warmth to Bellatrix and whispered promises in her mind as she kissed her fiercely—desperately.

A surge of desire went through both of them. Hermione's own was intense enough, but the need and want—a torrential downpour from Bellatrix, was making her head spin and she could feel her own desire rising.

"Please," Bellatrix whispered against her lips.

Hermione wasted no time in tearing the clothing from Bellatrix's body. For whatever reason, even though the only company Bella had was herself, she still wore her corset. She made quick work of it though and tossed it to the side before removing the dark witch's skirt.

"Too many clothes," Bellatrix growled out as she grabbed at Hermione's robes. She undid the clasps and slipped the robes from her shoulders until all she was in was her underwear.

Hermione laid back down on top of Bellatrix and kissed her hard. The feeling of skin on skin sent her mind reeling, and she allowed the feelings to wash over Bellatrix as well.

They had laid their minds bare before each other, and the young witch knew that it was a terrifying concept for the other. But she hadn't pulled away, and despite the fear seemed to cling to it like a lifeline.

_"Please stay, Bella." _Hermione needed her to know she wanted her to stay.

Bellatrix groaned as Hermione's hand trailed down her side and grasped her hip, squeezing it before running back up to brush against her breast.

"Bedroom," Bella growled out. She wrapped her arms around her little witch, and with a strength that caught her companion off guard, lifted her from the couch and carried her to the bedroom.

They collapsed on the bed, a tangled mess of limbs and breathless moans. Hermione decided that she had never heard such a musical sound as the way Bellatrix whispered her name in a pleading tone.

Bellatrix released a growl as Hermione nipped a sensitive spot on her neck. A gasp and moan tore from her lips as her little witch nuzzled and licked the spot just behind her ear, driving her into a frenzy of need and desperation.

She arched up into her, seeking more and silently begging for Hermione to move her hands. The young witch obliged and moved to cup her breast and tease her nipple to a hardened peak.

She groaned in pleasure as another hand rose to play with the other and mimic the same action. Hermione had begun to place kisses and bites all along her neck and then down her chest and stomach, only stopping once she reached the apex of Bellatrix's thighs.

"You're so beautiful," Hermione whispered softly as she placed a kiss to the top of black curls slick with desire.

Bellatrix whimpered and bucked her hips; she needed the little witch in her.

"I know you want to devour me and for me to take you...but, Bella, I intend to take my time. We have plenty of time for the other activities you've been imagining."

Bellatrix looked down at her with heavy, lust-filled eyes. She nodded her consent and released a pleased sigh when Hermione began kissing between her thighs, licking up any stray wetness as she went.

At the first taste, Hermione moaned at the strong salty flavor that hit her tongue. She nudged Bellatrix's legs further apart with her nose, and wasted no time burying her face there. Her tongue reached out and slid between soaked folds, gathering up as much of the wetness as she could.

Bellatrix arched up off the bed as a guttural moan rumbled in her chest. Her fingers flexed before grabbing onto Hermione's arms and bucked up into the witch's mouth.

The muscle taking its sweet time rolling her clit felt otherworldly. She could feel herself gush with desire and she bore her hips down, seeking more.

"Patience," Hermione chided softly before returning to her activity.

She teased Bellatrix until she was a writhing mess, begging through broken gasps and moans for Hermione to take her.

Bellatrix's pussy ached. It clenched around nothing in a desperate attempt to relieve some of the pressure. When Hermione finally gave in and pressed two fingers inside of her, she moaned loudly and sank into them. She enveloped them whole and whispered words of thanks as Hermione began pumping her fingers in and out of her at a slow pace. She would pull back and slowly push back in, but down to the knuckle as deep as she could go. Each stroke left Bellatrix more a mess than the last. She matched the thrusts with her hips and threaded her hands through Hermione's hair, holding her in place so she could continue licking her clit and fucking her.

She felt her orgasm building and desperately begged for more. Her sweat soaked skin clung to the sheets—the heady aroma filling the room. Hermione obliged and slid a third finger into her, moaning as Bellatrix sunk impossibly further into them.

Her orgasm tore through her in delicious spasms and she felt her pussy clench desperately around Hermione's fingers, pulsating and milking them for everything they had.

She slumped back against the bed, her limbs spent and unresponsive. She didn't know how long she had spaced out for and only came to once Hermione had crawled back up her body and smoothed the sweaty hair from her face.

"You're so beautiful," Hermione whispered reverently. She stroked her cheek and then her hair.

Bellatrix wrapped her arms around her, keeping her close as tears fell from her eyes. The affection and care she was being shown was overwhelming. It felt as if her body was next to the sun, and she pushed the desire to throw her walls up, away. She felt Hermione's careful strokes and heard her whispered words of reassurance and kindness.

She didn't know how long this lasted, but when she awoke she was wrapped up protectively around the smaller woman. Bellatrix was still in awe of how beautiful her little witch was when she slept. She didn't want to disturb her slumber...but she also desperately wanted to return the favor.

She kissed her cheek, then her forehead, eyelids, nose, and all over her face save for her lips. When the younger woman's mouth tilted upward in a sleepy smile, Bellatrix placed a soft kiss there again and again, each time lingering longer and running a teasing hand up her side.

Hermione's arm lifted and wrapped itself around Bellatrix's neck, holding her in place to kiss her properly. When Bellatrix deepened it, a moan escaped Hermione's lips that lit something inside her.

She rolled on top of her and kissed her fiercely, earning another moan in response as she ran her hands down her body.

She was thankful she had tossed away Hermione's clothes last night when they began. Because now, the younger witch was lain bare underneath her intense gaze. She licked her lip as she torturously ran a finger up her stomach to her neck and then back down, just brushing the professor's clit.

Hermione bucked up and whimpered at the teasing contact.

"Do you want me, pet?" Bellatrix asked. She batted her thick eyelashes and smirked.

Her words sounded dominating, but the softness in her eyes when she asked told Hermione that she was feeling a little insecure.

Hermione smiled brightly and took Bellatrix's hand and guided it to her pussy, pressing the digits against herself so she could feel the wetness.

Hermione let out a hiss at the delicious contact, pleased with herself when Bellatrix released a needy groan.

"Can't you feel how wet I am for you?" Hermione asked, grinding her hips against the palm that cupped her. "I want you desperately."

Bellatrix's eyes flashed hungrily, and she quickly slid two fingers into her witch, drawing out a cry of surprise followed by a long moan.

The dark witch sighed contently. Feeling the wet heat around her fingers felt like home. She gave Hermione a moment to adjust, and once she got a small nod she carefully pulled her fingers out before entering her again, curling them just so.

She set a pace that left Hermione panting and whining as each thrust drove her closer to orgasm.

"You feel so good," Hermione said breathlessly before another moan escaped her lips.

"It's because I'm yours," Bellatrix said seriously, laying her body flush on top of her and using her leg to help thrust. "And you're mine."

Hermione moaned loudly. Bellatrix had punctuated 'mine' with a deep curled thrust.

"Yours," Hermione whimpered. "Bella, please."

Bellatrix touched their foreheads and gave her a quick kiss before sliding down her body and enveloping Hermione's clit in her mouth. She increased the pace of her fingers, and flicked her tongue across the sensitive nub.

Hermione grew desperate above her. She was panting and moaning, and each second the noises seemed to grow louder and more desperate until she came with Bellatrix's name falling from her lips.

She eased her down from her orgasm slowly, whispering soothing words as she came back to earth.

"There you are," Bellatrix said softly as brown orbs peeked from behind fluttering lashes.

Hermione's eyes focused on the woman hovering above her. The raven curls were mussed as they cascaded around them in inky waves. Belletrix's eyes shone with a gentleness that Hermione had never seen before, and she found herself falling into the dark brown pools as their minds brushed against each other tenderly.

_"Are you alright?_" Bellatrix asked.

Hermione offered her a bright smile and cupped the woman's cheek. She marveled at how black eyelashes fluttered at the contact; face relaxing as a longing sigh slid past red lips.

"_I've never been better, Bella."_

Bellatrix slowly opened her eyes to regard the witch beneath her as she returned the smile. Affection swelled in her chest and the feeling left her feeling breathless.

Her little witch leaned upward, catching her lips in a searing kiss that tore the breath right from her lungs. She moaned into the woman's mouth. Kissing her was a rush of deliciousness and decadence each time. Her time between her witch's thighs was unlike anything else, but this…the intimacy and _love_ that poured out with each touch set her very soul on fire.

Then she froze.

She felt Hermione still beneath her and she instantly knew that her internal musings had slipped over.

Then, softly, as if her little witch was terrified she would startle her, she rubbed soothingly up and down her back. Her mind was surrounded by wave after wave of warmth and care.

_"I feel the same_," Hermione whispered within the comfort of their entwined minds as their eyes connected. "_Stay with me, Bella_."

Bellatrix swallowed thickly, and despite all of her instincts that told her to run, she sunk further into the warm sanctuary. Her body relaxed as if she had just fell into a hot bath, and her lips once again found her partner's.

Hermione's hand tangled in the mass of black curls and pulled her as close as possible before she rolled them over and pinned Bellatrix to the mattress. She kissed, sucked, and nipped all over her neck and down her chest. Her hand drifted downward and she released a groan as she felt the overflowing wetness among soft folds.

"Bella, I need you too," Hermione said as she straddled the dark witch's leg.

Bellatrix's eyes brightened and she surged up and captured the younger woman in a heated kiss, swallowing her moan as her fingers slid into her without resistance. She whimpered against her lips as she sank into the digits that slipped through her folds.

Their minds curled around each other once more, and Bellatrix wasn't sure where she began and Hermione ended. At every thought there were words of affection and assurance, and she didn't know whose desire was whose.

She felt complete.

Their pace increased, a crescendo of pleasure until they cascaded over the edge together, clinging to the other's fingers in an attempt to stay whole as their minds did the same.

Eventually, their hearts calmed and they both carefully removed their fingers before tangling their limbs together in an intimate embrace.

Bellatrix was sure that she could never tire of this.

_Perhaps wanting isn't a bad thing when you are given it so willingly._

For the first time in three years, she had hope.

* * *

**That's it and that's all folks! At least for this story! Once again, stay tuned for the next story that is dropping tonight!**

**Don't forget to favorite and review! Looking forward to reading what you guys thought of the chapter.**

**See you all tonight, pets.**


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